Urgent Care & Express Clinics
Convenient care for minor injuries and illnesses.
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
When you need treatment for minor injuries and illness, but your doctor is not available, SSM Health Urgent Care and Express Clinic services have you covered. We combine easy-to-access services with our well-known standards for delivering the best care. Plus, using a health care clinic like ours can help you save the time and cost related to an emergency room visit.
Find an SSM Health urgent care or express clinic location near you and see available appointment times.
Find answers to commonly asked questions about accessing care at an urgent care or express clinic location.
How do I know when I should go to an urgent care?
Urgent care is the middle option between your primary care physician and emergency department. When you need immediate care, urgent care treats medical problems sooner than a doctor’s office visit can be scheduled.
To evaluate what type of health care service is right for you, view our care choices chart.
Where should I go when experiencing a medical emergency?
Please go to an SSM Health emergency room if you are experiencing a life-or limb-threatening condition and/or have an illness that includes symptoms such as:
- chest pain
- shortness of breath
- severe abdominal pain
- dizziness or weakness
- neck stiffness
- vision disturbance or severe headaches
- seizures
- fever lasting more than four days
Seek emergency care if the patient is:
- Is less than 1 year old
- Seeking care for pregnancy related complications
Anyone experiencing life-threatening symptoms should call 911 or immediately go to the nearest emergency room.
Common questions about urgent care visits:
The average SSM Health Urgent Care visit lasts less than one hour.
Nationally, the average wait time to make an appointment with a primary care physician exceeds 20 days. Patients with everyday medical issues are faced with two options: wait for that appointment, or make an unnecessary, costly visit to the ER. The average Emergency Room visit lasts approximately 212 minutes.
Find the nearest SSM Health Urgent or Express Care location near you, make an appointment online or call your local SSM Health Urgent or Express Care Clinic to understand how long you have to wait.
Yes, most urgent cares are walk-in centers but, your care may or may not be immediate. If possible, we recommend checking in online or calling beforehand.
SSM Health Urgent Care is a reliable, cost-effective alternative to visiting the emergency room and is often significantly less expensive than the ER. Most major urgent care centers contract with a variety of insurance companies. Urgent care centers generally have lower co-pays than that of an emergency room.
We welcome individuals of all ages who can't be seen by their primary care physicians, yet don't feel they require hospital emergency services.
SSM Health Urgent and Express clinics accept Medicare & Medicaid and many popular health insurance plans. For more detailed information, find your region and view a list of the major insurance plans our SSM Health facilities accept.
Yes, most of our urgent care and express clinic locations are open 7 days a week but, the hours vary depending on the location.
Find the nearest SSM Health Urgent or Express Care location near you, to check opening and closing times as well as closures for holidays.
Hours on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day may vary at different locations in your area.
Find the nearest SSM Health Urgent or Express Care location near you, to check closures for holidays.
Urgent cares tend to children over the age of 1 years old treating a range of ailments including but not limited to: bone fractures, minor asthma attacks, skin conditions, nausea and fever.
Please bring your insurance card, driver's license or photo ID and any important medical information. Please be sure to let our staff know of ANY allergies, current medications and your medical history.
You may be treated and discharged shortly after being examined. You will need to check out with the receptionist before leaving SSM Health Urgent Care and receive urgent care discharge papers with directions for treatment. If prescriptions are required, these will be sent electronically to the pharmacy of your choice.
We know trying to decide where to go to seek care can be confusing. Use our care choice chart to help you choose the best place to get care for you and your family.
You can use SSM Health Express Virtual Care if you are seeking care for common illness or injury, like:
- Allergies
- Cold, cough, flu, fever
- Diaper rash
- Head lice
- Heartburn
- Minor aches, pains, infections
- Minor cuts, scrapes, burns
- Minor sprains and strains
- Sinus infections
- Skin conditions: insect stings and bites, rashes, minor bumps
- Urinary tract infections (UTI)